Shauna Standen's Story; Formerly Incarcerated Woman Rebuilding Her Life
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: October 16, 2012
Some say that everyone deserves a second chance. And one Camden woman
says she's living this motto every day. 4 months ago, 20-year-old Shauna
Standen found herself behind bars.
But instead of giving up, she decided she would make the most of her time there. Just one week ago, Shauna took her first steps outside the Oneida County Jail, after serving 4 months for a second-degree burglary. Shauna earned her GED and completed the Second Start Program. And, she did all that while she was behind bars.
"Angry, upset, hurt, because I know I raised my daughter better than that," says Julie McConnell, Shauna's mother.
Julie McConnell is Shauna's mother, and she says watching her daughter being led away to jail was one of the hardest times of her life.
"Broke my heart a little bit that I had to leave her there, she had to pay the price for the crime that was committed," says Julie.
"I was crying, didn't know what to do, called my mom in tears, telling her I was being arrested and going to jail," says Shauna Standen, formerly incarcerated and rebuilding her life.
But Shauna decided she would make the best of a bad situation. She began taking GED classes, and in late September, she got her diploma. Eyewitness News spoke with Shauna from jail - on the day of her graduation.
"It means everything to me. I depended on it because now I can go to college and become what I want to be," says Shauna, while she was in Oneida County Jail.
"It kind of was a blessing in itself because I believe that if I didnt go to jail, I probably wouldn't have my GED right now," says Shauna.
"She's accomplished more in 4 months then she did in 2 years before that," says Bill Woeltje, Shauna's grandfather.
Shauna's family is happy she's out of jail, but they still have concerns.
"I'm afraid that if the employer sees I have felony, they're gonna bypass my application and not look at it," says Shauna.
"There's so many people unemployed in this economy, that they can find people who may be more desirable because they don't have felonies or misdemeanors," says Bill.
The family says at this point, all they can do is hope for a second chance.
"She had to pay for that mistake with being put in jail," says Julie.
"Give them the chance to prove themselves," says Bill.
"I'm going to college, I'm going to find a job eventually, get back up on my feet, get my own place and hopefully start my own family," says Shauna.
Shauna says she's already begun sending out job applications. She plans on enrolling in college once she can support herself. And eventually, she hopes to become a nurse.
But instead of giving up, she decided she would make the most of her time there. Just one week ago, Shauna took her first steps outside the Oneida County Jail, after serving 4 months for a second-degree burglary. Shauna earned her GED and completed the Second Start Program. And, she did all that while she was behind bars.
"Angry, upset, hurt, because I know I raised my daughter better than that," says Julie McConnell, Shauna's mother.
Julie McConnell is Shauna's mother, and she says watching her daughter being led away to jail was one of the hardest times of her life.
"Broke my heart a little bit that I had to leave her there, she had to pay the price for the crime that was committed," says Julie.
"I was crying, didn't know what to do, called my mom in tears, telling her I was being arrested and going to jail," says Shauna Standen, formerly incarcerated and rebuilding her life.
But Shauna decided she would make the best of a bad situation. She began taking GED classes, and in late September, she got her diploma. Eyewitness News spoke with Shauna from jail - on the day of her graduation.
"It means everything to me. I depended on it because now I can go to college and become what I want to be," says Shauna, while she was in Oneida County Jail.
"It kind of was a blessing in itself because I believe that if I didnt go to jail, I probably wouldn't have my GED right now," says Shauna.
"She's accomplished more in 4 months then she did in 2 years before that," says Bill Woeltje, Shauna's grandfather.
Shauna's family is happy she's out of jail, but they still have concerns.
"I'm afraid that if the employer sees I have felony, they're gonna bypass my application and not look at it," says Shauna.
"There's so many people unemployed in this economy, that they can find people who may be more desirable because they don't have felonies or misdemeanors," says Bill.
The family says at this point, all they can do is hope for a second chance.
"She had to pay for that mistake with being put in jail," says Julie.
"Give them the chance to prove themselves," says Bill.
"I'm going to college, I'm going to find a job eventually, get back up on my feet, get my own place and hopefully start my own family," says Shauna.
Shauna says she's already begun sending out job applications. She plans on enrolling in college once she can support herself. And eventually, she hopes to become a nurse.
